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Chemical Guide
Insecticides for turf The following charts provide a quick, four-page reference that allows you to compare chemical products available to help you rid turf of insect pests. You’ll find a table that...
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Pesticide Myths
Debunking the myths about pesticides and lawn care Most people understand the benefits of pesticides. Yet, the myths surrounding pesticides sometimes fuel sensational headlines where these products get...
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Restrictions Intensify
Slippery Slope Pesticide restrictions intensify as more states impose bans on use. By Cindy Ratcliff Three more states in the Northeast are proposing new laws that would prohibit the use of pesticides...
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Bring on the Bugs!
Pitting predators against pests When the Orlando office of ValleyCrest Landscape Companies faced an outbreak of chilli thrips, they didn’t send in trucks with tanks of pesticides, they called in an...
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Controlled-Release Fertilizers Prove Value
Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers are proving their value in environmentally sensitive areas and beyond. Maryland recently passed into law what some are calling one of the toughest measures in the...
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Spraying it Forward
New sprayers answer the call for versatility. By Cindy Ratcliff The elements of a good sprayer are straightforward: precision, efficiency, reliability and control. It’s the configurations and...
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Combat Grassy Weeds
Best Ways to Deal with Weeds Pre-emergence prevention is one of several strategies to combat these tough weeds. By Cindy Ratcliff Planted and planned, one man’s weed is another man’s turfgrass. But...
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Starting Over
Renovate or reestablish? Removing existing turf and starting from scratch can be a scary proposition for a lot of clients. Typically, though, if their property has less than 60 percent of desirable...
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Treating Brown Patch Disease
Here are the most effective ways to prevent and treat this difficult turf disease. By Cindy Ratcliff In the summer, humidity and excessively wet conditions can create the perfect opportunity for...
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Don’t Be Stuck with the Bill
Billbugs are masters at disguising their destruction as drought or disease. Got billbugs? It’s not always easy to tell. The damage caused by these weevils is often confused with things such as drought,...
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Imprelis Herbicide Injury
The latest on how to get damaged trees, and client relations, on the mend. On Aug. 11, the Environmental Protection Agency banned the sale of Imprelis, an herbicide introduced by DuPont last year that...
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Varmints Vamoose!
How to reclaim a landscape from vertebrate pests. When considering pests, it’s common to think about thresholds. In other words, how many weeds, insects or other pests can healthy turf and landscape...
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Rotating Chemical Use for Best Results
Rotating ‘mode of action’ helps guarantee you’re getting the most from insecticides. Once you find a product you like, it’s difficult to think about switching. It’s reliable, it does the job...
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Herbicide Bows Out
How the loss of MSMA means more emphasis on pre-emergence control of weeds until a new alternative emerges. By Cindy Ratcliff Cocklebur, one of the weeds controlled by MSMA. For half a century,...
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Disarming Scale
“Scale insects, far and away, can be some of the most difficult pests to control,” says Joe Chamberlin, regional field development manager for Valent Professional Products. Your best bet is to rely on...
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Strength in Numbers
Poised for growth, green industry statistics show promise. Do a Google search on lawn care, and much of what you’ll see relates to do-it-yourself (DIY) topics like “10 Ways to Grow Grass” or “8 Ways...
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Before the Fall
Winter weeds wither in the presence of two new pre-emergence herbicides. Treating weeds in the fall is one of the best things you can do for turfgrass. Targeting fall-germinating weeds like chickweed,...
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Fall Turf Strategies
If your turf didn’t pass the test, follow this prescription for fall. As one of the hottest, driest summers on record for most states, the summer of 2012 has just given your turf the ultimate test....
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Lights Out for Mole Crickets
Tried-and-true methods are your best bet for controlling this Coastal Plain pest. Mole crickets continue to be a problem in the areas stretching from North Carolina to East Texas. Recognized in many of...
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Taking It Slow
Can plant growth regulators find a home in the residential market? For decades, plant growth regulators (PGRs) have been helping turf and ornamental professionals work more efficiently. These...
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